If you don't bring disaster to the world, what kind of henchman are you to be?

Night fell.

At Zuixianlou, several square tables filled the second-floor hall, and all those seated were members of the Right Guard's Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Brothers, today I, Guo, have been promoted by chance, and I have prepared a small feast to celebrate with you all."

"The food is bad and the wine is poor, but don't complain, bottoms up!"

Guo Zhendong was promoted and made a fortune; he was radiant and enjoying great success.

Everyone present raised their glasses in celebration.

Sitting at the main table were their five sworn brothers and sisters.

Zhu Qing tilted his head back and drank the wine down, then looked at Guo Zhendong: "Third Brother, that's about enough for today."

"etc."

Seeing that he was determined to leave, Guo Zhendong sighed helplessly and then took out a brownish-yellow book from his pocket.

The cover read: White Ape Skill

Zhu Qingwei was slightly stunned.

"Take this; it's a gift from Steward Xu."

Guo Zhendong explained, "This is a cultivation technique for the Flesh Refining Realm, listed as the Profound Rank in the Records of the Wanderers, which is much more profound than the Tiger Walk Technique we practice internally."

"You're pretty lucky, kid. You're currently stuck at the late stage of Skin Refining, and you'll be able to break through to the Flesh Refining stage in three to five months. This technique came at just the right time."

"I just mastered the Tiger Walk Technique yesterday, but it's too late to correct it now, alas~"

He sighed deeply with regret.

Zhu Qing was quite surprised to hear this, but after thinking about it, she understood. This place was all about human relationships and social etiquette.

The way Xu Lingyun and his group first threatened people with high positions and then offered them benefits was indeed effective in winning people's hearts.

Since that's the case, why not take it?

Zhu Qing accepted it without hesitation.

Seeing that he had finally become sensible, Guo Zhendong smiled with relief and then continued drinking and having fun.

"Drink up! Don't stop, we're not leaving until we're drunk tonight!"

"Okay, Third Brother!"

"Oh, by the way, Third Brother has something important to attend to today, where is Eldest Brother?"

"Big brother, you've been acting all mysterious lately. I wonder what you've been up to."

……

At the entrance of Zuixianlou.

The snow has stopped falling, but the temperature hasn't warmed up at all, and the nights are bitterly cold.

However, for someone like Zhu Qing who practices martial arts, it was refreshing and invigorating, with a faint smell of alcohol lingering in the air.

"grown ups!"

Then a figure flashed by on the roadside. It was Qian Wei who quickly walked up and whispered something in his ear.

……

At the deepest part of Luohua Lane stands a small courtyard with blue bricks, two gates, quite compact.

The inner room was brightly lit, and shadows flickered in the candlelight.

"Ahem!"

On the bed, Wang Degui coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, looking listless.

He had washed away the blood, but his skin appeared even paler and the wounds more gruesome.

"Damn it... that guy surnamed Zhu really doesn't know what's good for him!"

"Wait till I get better...wait till I find someone to take care of him!"

Wang Degui spoke fiercely, his breathing rapid.

"Alright, that's enough. You've caused me enough trouble today."

By the window, Xu Lingyun sat upright in a grand chair, holding a cup of tea in his hand, his face displeased.

Wang Degui swallowed his words in frustration and dared not utter another sound.

Xu Lingyun then gently raised his hand, and the guards behind him tactfully left.

Once only the two of them remained in the room, Xu Fang questioned, "It's a miracle you escaped unscathed. I spent a considerable amount of money on your case."

"I don't ask for anything in return, just tell me the whereabouts of that secret."

Xu Lingyun's gaze was sharp, and his tone carried an undeniable firmness.

Wang Degui gave an awkward smile, his expression somewhat unnatural: "Lord Xu, didn't we agree that I would tell you when I had earned three thousand taels? Now..."

Click!

Xu Lingyun angrily smashed the teacup and said coldly, "Even now you dare to negotiate with me!"

"No, no, no! How could I dare!"

Xu Lingyun quickly said, "As you know, with Yuexiang Tower shut down, all my savings from these years are gone."

"You have to let me... earn a little more, right?"

He knew very well that his position in the gang was, at best, just a glove.

Now that his crimes have been exposed, he has little value to be exploited.

The reason Xu Lingyun rescued her was for that secret that only she knew.

If he wanted to survive, or even regain his wealth and status, this secret was his only bargaining chip.

"Ha, aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" Xu Lingyun laughed angrily.

"You won't."

Wang Degui forced a smile: "Lord Xu, I only need to earn a thousand taels, then I'll stop and secretly hand it all over!"

Seeing that he was still so cunning, Xu Lingyun had no choice but to go along with him.

After all, those who have survived the ordeal in the Zhaoyu prison are no longer afraid of any threat.

"I will give you some time, at the latest before the end of next month, before the 50th birthday of the young Grand Secretary."

"If you delay my plans, your whole family can just wait to die."

Xu Lingyun turned around, flicked his sleeves, and pushed open the door to leave.

"You few stay here and watch over him."

"Yes, sir!"

……

Listening to the footsteps fading away outside, Wang Degui sighed and finally relaxed his tense body.

He then lay down in the brocade quilt, reminiscing about the days when he would hold his beloved in a warm bed.

Wang Degui was suddenly awakened by a commotion after a period of time.

"Who goes there!"

"stop!"

……

Ta-da!

He paid no attention to the shouts, but the crisp sound of weapons that followed jolted him awake, and he instinctively sat up.

Bang!

Almost simultaneously, the door was kicked open, and a strong stench of blood rushed out.

Under the cold moonlight, there was a figure dressed in black, with a long knife in his hand covered in blood, which was extremely eerie.

Behind him, the guards Xu Lingyun had left behind had all fallen into pools of blood.

"Who...who are you?!"

Wang Degui's voice trembled, and his pupils quivered violently.

But the man in black didn't waste any words with him. He strode forward and beheaded him with a single stroke, the crimson color spreading rapidly.

When the mask was removed, his features were handsome and refined.

It was Zhu Qing.

"No one can protect you."

Seeing the headless corpse slump down, Zhu Qing finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Having witnessed Wang Degui being taken away during the day, Zhu Qing did not stubbornly defy her superior under strong pressure.

But that doesn't mean he can swallow his anger.

Therefore, when attending Guo Zhendong's banquet, he instructed Qian Wei to follow Wang Degui and find out where he lived.

Then, I'll kill that old bastard myself.

[Attribute value +5]

[Attribute value +2]

[Attribute value +3]

[Attribute value +4]

The scrolling subtitles showed the names of the leather-refining guards that Zhu Qing had just swiftly killed.

After mastering the Thunder Blade technique, ordinary Skin Refining Realm cultivators could be dealt with in just a few strikes.

Success, then retreat.

Zhu Qing was about to turn and leave.

But then, with a sudden glance, I noticed something unusual by the bedside.

After Wang Degui was beheaded, blood flowed like a spring, staining the bed red, with a lot of scarlet blood still flowing down.

However, the pool of blood on the ground disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Ok?

Zhu Qing was slightly puzzled, so she took a few steps forward to check, and the pool of blood disappeared completely in no time.

He tapped the stone slab with his knife, then thoughtfully inserted it into the crack in the ground and lifted it up forcefully.

After the floorboards bounced off, a dark red wooden box and a bulging leather bag were revealed underneath.

In stock!

Zhu Qing's eyes lit up.